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  • Phenol + NaOH + CO2 Reaction: Identifying the Major Product (Sodium Salicylate)
    The major product obtained on interaction of phenol with sodium hydroxide and carbon dioxide is sodium salicylate.

    Here's the explanation:

    1. Reaction with Sodium Hydroxide: Phenol reacts with sodium hydroxide to form sodium phenoxide. This reaction is an acid-base reaction where the hydroxide ion (OH-) removes a proton from the phenol molecule, forming a phenoxide ion.

    ```

    C6H5OH + NaOH → C6H5ONa + H2O

    ```

    2. Reaction with Carbon Dioxide: The sodium phenoxide reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium salicylate. This reaction is a nucleophilic attack by the phenoxide ion on the carbon dioxide molecule. The carbon dioxide acts as an electrophile, and the phenoxide ion acts as a nucleophile. The reaction proceeds through a series of steps, ultimately forming sodium salicylate.

    ```

    C6H5ONa + CO2 → C6H4(OH)COONa

    ```

    Overall Reaction:

    The overall reaction can be summarized as follows:

    ```

    C6H5OH + NaOH + CO2 → C6H4(OH)COONa + H2O

    ```

    Sodium salicylate is a salt of salicylic acid. It is used in the production of aspirin, a common pain reliever and fever reducer.

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